ENTERTAINER ROLF HARRIS has been found guilty of all 12 counts of indecent assault.
The 84-year-old artist and broadcaster was convicted of the attacks against four girls between the years 1968 and 1986.
The verdict was returned at Southwark Crown Court in London this afternoon.
The complainants ranged in age from seven or eight to 19, and in all but one of the cases, the victims were under 16.
Harris had denied the charges during the six-week trial.
He has been released on bail until Friday when he will be sentenced. Judge Nigel Sweeney has warned Harris that it was “inevitable” that he could face a jail term.
In a statement, the Crown Prosecution Service said Harris had used his status and position as a world famous children’s entertainer to sexually assault young girls over 18 years.
“The victims in this case have suffered in silence for many years and have only recently found the courage to come forward,” said Jenny Hopkins, the deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor .
That bravery and determination has seen Rolf Harris brought to justice and held to account.
Each of the victims had, unknown to the others, described a similar pattern of behaviour, Hopkins said: “That of a man acting without fear of the consequences”.
Harris was arrested in March of last year as part of Operation Yewtree, the wide-ranging investigation in the UK into child sex abuse which began as a result of revelations against television presenter Jimmy Savile.
During the trial, the court heard that the entertainer used his status as a television celebrity to carry out the assaults on girls, including his daughter’s friend.
Prosecutors described him as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character who had a dark side to his personality.
“Mr Harris was too famous, too powerful and his reputation made him untouchable,” prosecutor Sasha Wass told the court.
“Concealed behind this charming and amicable children’s entertainer lay a man who exploited the very children who were drawn to him”.
First published 16.18pm
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